《Naruto: Reaching the Stars》


 Chapter 1

    Jake''s chest hurt as a huge boulder crushed him, pinning him in place with no way to move or call for help. His lungs struggled with each breath, barely managing to exhale before desperately pulling in more air. Thick black smoke from the fire clogged his throat and filled the building as red-hot flames raged around him.


    He coughed until tears blurred his vision, making him nearly blind. Not that there was much to see except the crumbling ceiling and the flames devouring everything in their path. Though the flames were a bit farther away, his situation was dire. While trying to escape, a pillar exploded and fell on him, trapping him completely.


    It was a pathetic end to his sad and lonely life. All he could do was sit there and choke to death. He''d love to escape if he could, but with the heavy pillar pinning him down, he could only sigh in resignation.


    Oddly, he felt calm about it all. Nobody would miss him. He was just a no-name orphan with no family, no friends, and no one who cared about him.


    "¡­Ah, this really sucks," he groaned internally. The only joy in his life was watching anime and writing novels. The encouraging comments from his readers were his only motivation to pursue his dream of becoming a writer.


    Too bad that wasn''t going to amount to anything. That morning, a psychopath had come to his workplace and blown themselves up, claiming the company was scamming and stealing from innocent people. Jake couldn''t deny some of their claims, as he knew about the shady things the company did, but that didn''t justify blowing up the building. Many innocent people worked there¡ªpeople with families and children to raise.


    ''Ah, what''s the use of thinking about this stuff?''


    Damnit, he didn''t want to die. As pathetic as it seemed, he hadn''t finished writing his novel. Surely life couldn''t be so cruel as to end him before that? Probably the only people who would miss him were his novel''s readers, but they, too, would quickly forget about him amidst the plethora of other great novels out there.


    So, would this be his end? He was unwilling.


    A flame ignited in his chest, not unlike the roaring embers threatening to burn him alive. Only when humans are about to die do they realize the truly important things in life. He had many regrets. He didn''t want to die. There were so many things he wanted to do. He''d never had anything going for him his entire life, and it wasn''t fair!


    [Do You Wish To Live?]


    "Am I going crazy?" he wondered as his vision suddenly cleared, revealing a floating black screen with red writing. For a moment, he just stared, forgetting his pain. It took him a moment to shake off the shock. Was he hallucinating now that the smoke was getting to him? Was he about to lose consciousness?


    He struggled, trying to lift his arms, but the pillar was just too heavy.


    ''Ah, damn it. Of course, I wanna live.''


    Even though he knew he was probably hallucinating, he decided to entertain the idea of having one last conversation, even if it wasn''t real.


    Just as he spoke, the crimson words on the black screen shimmered, and a different sentence appeared:


    [The host agrees to terms. Prepare For Transmigration!]


    "Transmigration¡­" He blinked. "What?" he said. Was this one of his regrets in life? Was his mind hallucinating?


    Before he could process what was happening, the screen expanded rapidly, wrapping him in a cocoon of red and black. A burning sensation spread through his body as if his very soul were being torn apart. The pain was overwhelming, stealing his breath and silencing his scream. Then, a torrent of memories surged into his mind, drowning him in an ocean of unfamiliar experiences.


    The soul-ripping pain, coupled with the flood of memories, caused him to fall unconscious.


    ''Huh? How am I still alive?''


    Jake opened his eyes to find himself lying on a bed.


    ''Where am I?''


    He was in a bedroom he didn''t recognize.


    What the hell is this?


    His hands¡­ They were small, tiny even. He flexed his fingers, the motion feeling oddly foreign. Panicked, he sat up quickly, feeling an unfamiliar lightness in his body. He looked down and saw that his body was small, like that of a child.


    "No way," Jake whispered, his voice sounding high-pitched and childish. "This can''t be real."


    He jumped out of bed, nearly tripping over his short legs. He ran to a small mirror on the wall and stared in shock at the reflection. A young boy with wide eyes and black hair stared back at him.


    "This¡­ this is me?" he said, his heart pounding.


    "Why am I in a child''s body?"


    He clearly remembered dying under that pillar, yet here he was, alive and in a child''s body.


    "Is this some sort of lucid dream?" He carefully raised his hand towards his face and pinched his cheek. "It hurts!" He glanced at the slight red mark on his face. "Since it hurts, it shouldn''t be a dream, right?" He looked at his reflection in the mirror.


    "What''s this¡­ time travel¡­ transmigration? Or reincarnation?"


    As he considered these ridiculous possibilities, an intense headache suddenly hit him. Jake screamed, clutching his head as unfamiliar memories poured into his mind, overwhelming him. The pain became unbearable, and he fell to the ground.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "What was that noise?"


    "Kisuke! Kisuke! Are you alright, dear?"


    Several voices rang in his head before he lost consciousness.


    A tall man with brown eyes and shoulder-length brown hair entered the room, followed by a woman with long, bright-black hair and large, brown eyes. The man frowned while the woman''s face looked worried.


    "Kisuke!" The woman rushed towards the child and picked him up. The man pressed his finger on the child''s chest, and his frown eased.


    "Don''t worry, he just passed out. Prepare the herbal soup to help him recover."


    The woman nodded and placed the child back on the bed.


    After some time, Jake slowly regained consciousness. His head throbbed with a dull ache, but he ignored it and kept staring at the now-familiar ceiling. His eyes reflected his complicated thoughts.


    ''Damn¡­ how did I transmigrate, and it had to be the freaking Naruto world of all places.''


    He couldn''t help but feel a little ridiculous that something so clich¨¦ as transmigration happened to him. I mean, wasn''t this situation only supposed to exist in stories?


    No matter how much Jake tried to deny his situation, it was clear that he was truly here, in the Naruto world, and his new five years of memories confirmed it.


    ''Was it that voice perhaps?!''


    He remembered his last moments before dying, that voice that asked him if he wanted to live¡ªwas this its doing?


    He tried to mentally communicate with the strange voice again, but no matter how much he tried, no one answered.


    ''At this rate, I''ll go crazy if I keep thinking about it.''


    Despite questioning the reason behind his suspicious transmigration, Jake was happy to be given a second chance at life. Even if it was the Naruto world, where being weak meant living like a sheep, as long as he had a ninja aptitude, it shouldn''t be too hard for him to gain a certain level of strength.


    Besides, his luck wasn''t so bad. He wasn''t reborn as an ordinary civilian.


    Thinking of this, he tilted his head and glanced at the woman sitting on a chair, sleeping with her eyes closed.


    ''This woman should be the mother of¡­ no, my mom.''


    Looking at the woman''s awkward sleeping posture and the exhaustion on her face, Jake faintly smiled.


    Because of the fusion of the souls, Jake gained all the memories and emotions of the kid named Kisuke.


    According to the memories, the Second Ninja War had yet to happen, but he didn''t know when exactly. But he wasn''t too worried. The Second Ninja War wasn''t as brutal compared to the Third, where Konoha had to deploy fresh ninja school graduates.


    Jake slowly sat up, trying not to wake the woman who was now his mother. He felt strange emotions towards her. Kisuke''s memories were merging with his own, making it hard to separate his feelings from those of the child.


    He took a deep breath and decided to accept his new reality. He had been given a second chance, and he would make the most of it. The world of Naruto was dangerous, but it was also full of opportunities¡ªopportunities to explore supernatural powers.


    A soft groan from his mother made him turn his head. She was waking up. Her eyes fluttered open before she immediately jumped up and hugged him.


    "Kisuke, you''re awake!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with relief and love as she held him tightly.


    Jake felt awkward with a little bit of strange guilt. He knew it wasn''t his fault for possessing Kisuke''s body, but it didn''t help much after seeing how the woman treated him.


    "I''m fine¡­ mom!" Jake struggled to say the word ''mom.''


    "Mom," it was an unfamiliar concept to him. As an orphan in his previous life, Jake had never experienced a mother''s love. It felt strange being cared about this much. He didn''t hate it.


    She pulled back slightly, still holding his face in her hands. "You scared us so much. You were unconscious for almost half a day."


    "Sorry,"


    He could see the exhaustion on her face, the dark circles under her eyes. This woman truly cared about Kisuke and, now, about him.


    She smiled tears of relief in her eyes. "It''s good, it''s good¡­"


    He felt strange as she kept repeating "good" while patting his face.


    Suddenly, her gentle expression turned serious and angry as she squeezed his cheek really hard.


    "Ow... ow¡­"


    He didn''t understand why she suddenly flipped. Just a second ago, she was like a caring angel, but now she looked like a ferocious beast.


    "Kurama Kisuke¡­"


    He shivered when she called him by his full name. Looking at her serious face, he knew he was in trouble.


    "What was this doing in your room, young man?" his mother, Kurama Kirikou, pulled out a scroll and shoved it in his face. "Huh, tell me!"


    "I¡­"


    He didn''t know what to say. According to his new memories, Kisuke had been excited to start practicing his clan''s specialty, so he stole this Genjutsu scroll from his late father''s library and secretly tried to learn the jutsu to impress his mom.


    But something went wrong. He found it hard to successfully perform the Genjutsu, leading him to practice until he completely exhausted his spiritual energy and chakra, causing him to die.


    Seeing him unable to speak, Kirikou sighed. "I''ve told you many times that it''s too early for you to start practicing Genjutsu. If you''re not careful, you might not be able to become a ninja."


    "I... understand, Mom," Kisuke nodded. "I won''t do it without your permission again."


    Fortunately, Kirikou wasn''t opposed to the idea of him becoming a ninja, despite his father dying on a mission. They were all from the Kurama clan, so becoming a ninja was the aspiration of any young kid who hadn''t yet seen the cruelty of the world.


    After looking at him for a while, Kirikou said, "I can''t fully trust you since this isn''t the first time you''ve secretly stolen a scroll. So I''m going to set some boundaries here, and if you cross them, there will be consequences."


    Without waiting for him to respond, she continued, "If I find out that you''ve tried to learn Genjutsu without my permission or proper supervision, I won''t let you enroll in the ninja school at all."


    Kisuke was at a loss for words. Was training in Genjutsu that dangerous for Kirikou to go this far just to prevent him from learning it? But then again, the original Kisuke had also ''died'' when he practiced it, so her worries weren''t unfounded.


    "I''m sorry. I promise I won''t try it again."


    Seeing him being obedient, Kirikou smiled in satisfaction. "Well, I''ll leave you to rest for now. I''ll go prepare some food for you."


    After she left the room, Kisuke plopped down on his bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.


    He closed his eyes and felt the strange sensation coursing through his body.


    "This feeling¡­ it must be chakra."


    As one of the first clans to join Konoha, Kurama clan members had a significant amount of chakra compared to other clans. Not as much as the Senju and Uzumaki, but still high enough, thanks to their huge reserves of spiritual energy, which made their Genjutsu no worse than the Uchiha''s.


    Kisuke was fascinated by the strange energy that could cause all sorts of supernatural effects.


    Deep down, a seed of desire to explore it to the fullest was born in him. He wanted to understand it, its limits, and its different applications.


    Despite watching the Naruto series years ago, it never went into detail about how jutsu were created. He wanted to test the absolute limits of chakra and its applications.


    But all of that was for the future when he was strong enough and could delve into research without worrying about his safety.


    "Being born in a clan has its own benefits."


    For starters, he wouldn''t have to worry about finding suitable ninjutsu. As long as he showed enough talent, the clan would definitely not neglect him and would invest in him with all kinds of resources to ensure he became a backbone for the clan.


    But the most important aspect of being born into the Kurama clan was that he wouldn''t have to worry about Danzo playing any dirty tricks to get him into Root¡ªwhich he wasn''t even sure if it existed yet. Anyway, the clan would definitely refuse to hand him over after he showed enough talent worth investing in.


    "There''s still about a year before the ninja school opens for the new academic year."


    This gave him enough time to train and get used to chakra. So he started to plan his training schedule until Kirikou called him for dinner.


    ****


    If you have any critique that would help my writing style, I will really appreciate it.

 Chapter 2

    The next morning, after an awkward breakfast with Kirikou, Kisuke helped her set up their store, which sold medical herbs and flowers.


    Once everything was in place, Kirikou told him he could go out and play.


    Kisuke thanked her and left home, curious about his surroundings.


    Their home was on Konoha''s commercial street, not within the Kurama clan''s area, making it easier for Kirikou to attract customers.


    After wandering around the streets and checking out different stores, Kisuke quickly lost interest. Except for the Hokage Rock, which made him pause, nothing else caught his attention. It was just a village, far less exciting than the city life he remembered from his previous world.


    Eventually, he reached the forty-third training ground, where the original Kisuke used to train. He began his warm-up for physical training.


    Only a few people were training there, which Kisuke preferred over the crowded training grounds. He remembered that this training ground was south of the infamous forty-fourth training ground, also known as the Forest of Death.


    Ignoring the older kids who gave him strange looks, Kisuke focused on his own training.


    His first plan was simple exercises: running, push-ups, and sit-ups to build strength and endurance.


    Since chakra is a mix of physical and spiritual energy, he knew he had to train both aspects to increase it.


    But after just five laps (1 km) at a moderate pace, he was already exhausted. It wasn''t just because of his five-year-old body but also because Kurama clan members had inherently weak physiques in exchange for their high spiritual energy.


    Despite his fatigue, he pushed himself to complete eight laps, which was impressive compared to his previous life.


    "Chakra is really amazing."


    Even though he didn''t use chakra during his training, it still enhanced his physical abilities beyond normal limits.


    After a brief rest, he did three sets of 10 push-ups, four sets of 12 sit-ups, and a few other exercises he could think of.


    Hours later, Kisuke lay under the shade of a tree, exhausted and sore. While panting, he thought, "I might have overdone it for the first day."


    Knowing that the bodies in this world were different from his previous one, he pushed himself beyond his usual limits, but the excitement kept him going.


    "At least I''m better than Kisuke."


    The original Kisuke rarely trained his body, focusing only on Genjutsu and Ninjutsu because he thought they were "cool."


    "Well, he wasn''t wrong; Ninjutsu is cool, but I won''t try using any of it until I have fine control over my chakra."


    He still remembered how the original Kisuke died from exhausting both his chakra and spiritual energy due to poor control. To avoid the same fate, he needed to learn how to control his chakra properly before attempting any jutsu.


    Kisuke picked up a leaf from the ground and stuck it to his forehead.


    When it comes to chakra control training, the easiest method was leaf concentration practice before moving on to more advanced techniques like tree climbing and water walking.


    Feeling the chakra within him, he guided it to his forehead, making the leaf stick.


    "About ten minutes," Kisuke muttered when the leaf finally fell off.


    He frowned, not completely satisfied. According to his memories, the original Kisuke could keep the leaf for at least twenty minutes. Besides, his chakra was depleting faster than before, meaning he had lost some of Kisuke''s original abilities and had to train to regain them.


    "Well, it''s not a big deal."


    He continued practicing chakra control, and with each try, his time improved. After an hour of persistent practice, his record was about 13 minutes.


    "I see you''re doing much better."


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    A sudden voice interrupted his thoughts. Looking up, Kisuke saw a man with short brown hair and eyes walking toward him.


    Searching his memories, he quickly recognized the man. "Uncle Daiki!"


    "I see you started training without me," Daiki said, stopping in front of him. "And it looks like you''ve been doing some physical exercises you used to hate."


    Daiki was a Konoha chunin and Kisuke''s mother''s younger brother. He sometimes trained Kisuke when he wasn''t on a mission.


    "Well, you could say I had some sudden motivation," Kisuke said, scratching the back of his head.


    "Motivation?" Daiki raised an eyebrow but didn''t think much of it. "Do you want to continue yesterday''s practice, or should I leave you alone?"


    "No, no, I definitely want to continue."


    "Alright," Daiki pulled out a small bag of kunai and shuriken and handed it to him. "Here, you can throw these at that tree, and I''ll watch to correct your form."


    Taking the pouch, Kisuke couldn''t help but smile bitterly as a certain memory surfaced. Kirikou was worried he might injure himself, so she strictly forbade him from carrying weapons and instead assigned Daiki to teach him. He could only practice with kunai and shuriken under Daiki''s supervision.


    He pulled out a kunai and moved to a clear spot in front of a tree with a carved bullseye mark on its bark. "Alright, let''s see how I do."


    Taking a deep breath, he threw the kunai. It sailed through the air but missed the tree entirely, landing in the grass.


    Kisuke frowned, trying not to get discouraged. This was his first time throwing weapons, so it wasn''t realistic to expect the same results as the original Kisuke. He picked up another kunai, adjusted his stance, and threw it, but again, he missed.


    "You''re missing your target, Kisuke. Focus," Daiki advised, his eyes narrowing slightly.


    Kisuke nodded, feeling a bit of pressure. The original Kisuke was good at throwing, so this sudden drop in skill might raise Daiki''s suspicion.


    He pulled out a shuriken, aimed carefully, and launched it. The shuriken spun through the air but veered off course, embedding itself in the ground several feet away from the tree.


    Daiki sighed, crossing his arms. "Kisuke, you were better at this yesterday. What''s going on? Are you sure you''re fully recovered?"


    "I''m fine, Uncle Daiki. Just give me a moment."


    Daiki observed him closely. "Alright."


    Daiki stepped forward, taking a kunai from the bag. "Let''s go over the basics again. Watch closely."


    He demonstrated the correct stance, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. "Balance is key. You need a stable foundation." He held the kunai firmly but not too tight. "Your grip should be secure but flexible enough to allow smooth movement."


    Daiki raised his arm, aligning his eyes with the target. "When you throw, use your entire arm, not just your wrist. It''s a fluid motion, like this." He threw the kunai with a smooth, controlled motion, and it embedded itself perfectly in the center of the tree.


    Kisuke watched intently, noting the subtle movements. "Now you try," Daiki said, stepping back.


    Kisuke took his position, mimicking Daiki''s stance. He adjusted his grip on the kunai, feeling more confident. He raised his arm, visualized the target, and threw the kunai. It nicked the edge of the tree.


    "Better, but you need to follow through with your throw," Daiki instructed, demonstrating the motion again. "Your arm should extend fully, and your body should follow the movement."


    Kisuke nodded, taking another kunai. He focused on the follow-through, letting his arm and body move as one. The kunai flew straight and hit the tree with a thud, though it was far from the bullseye.


    "Well¡­" Daiki didn''t know what to say and didn''t seem to want to scold him for his failure, so he sighed and continued to correct his posture for an hour before moving on to other weapons.


    "Now, let''s work on the shuriken."


    Daiki took a shuriken from the bag, showing Kisuke the proper grip. "Hold it between your thumb and index finger. The trick is in the spin. You want it to rotate smoothly through the air."


    He demonstrated the throw, flicking his wrist to create a rapid spin. The shuriken whirled through the air and struck the tree dead center.


    Kisuke took a shuriken, feeling its weight and balance. He copied Daiki''s grip and flicked his wrist, sending the shuriken spinning toward the tree. But again, it missed.


    Kisuke pursed his lips and looked at Daiki with a sheepish smile, causing Daiki to sigh and once again show him how to throw the shuriken correctly.


    "Keep practicing that wrist flick. The spin is crucial for accuracy."


    They spent the next hour working on Kisuke''s throwing techniques, with Daiki providing corrections and tips.


    As the sun climbed higher in the sky, Daiki finally called for a break. "Alright, that''s enough for today. You''re clearly not at 100%, so it''s better to take the rest of the day off."


    "Let''s go home; Kirikou is probably waiting for you."


    Kisuke nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow, and followed Daiki.


    Despite feeling nothing wrong with his body except for fatigue, he didn''t deny Daiki''s claim and used yesterday''s incident as an excuse for not performing well today.


    As for his poor performance, he wasn''t too discouraged since this was his first time throwing anything other than rocks.


    On the way back, Kisuke looked up at the giant Hokage Rock overlooking the village and asked, "Uncle, do you know who carved the Hokage''s heads?"


    Daiki glanced at the rock and shook his head. "No idea. But it was probably done by skilled ninjas or maybe even each Hokage carved their own face."


    "Really? How could they do that? With Ninjutsu?" Kisuke asked, curious.


    "Yeah, most likely with earth-style jutsu," Daiki replied, then added, "When you master a certain affinity at a very high level, you can mold and shape that element however you want."


    Kisuke was amazed by this. He remembered that Kakashi''s earth-style jutsu had dog heads carved into them, so it wasn''t too surprising.


    He already knew Ninjutsu was incredible, but now he was even more fascinated by the details.


    In battle, did they really have the time to focus and carve something like a dog''s head? Was it just for decoration? It''s not like it would make the jutsu stronger.


    Or maybe it worked on intent¡ªby focusing on an image in their mind, the chakra would mold the element into that shape.


    So many questions filled Kisuke''s mind, making him eager to dive deeper into learning Ninjutsu.


    If you''re interested in beta read and helping me with line edit and sentences structure for free , please send me a message!

 Chapter 3

    When Kisuke arrived home, he saw Kirikou handing a bunch of herbs to an old woman, smiling as she did. After his father''s death, Kirikou used the compensation money to open a small shop that sold flowers and medicinal herbs. It wasn''t big, but it was successful, providing a steady income for them.


    As the old woman left, Kirikou noticed Kisuke and Daiki. "Oh, Kisuke! Daiki!" she called out with a warm smile. "How was training today?"


    Kisuke, feeling a bit tired, walked up to her. "It was... good. Uncle Daiki helped me a lot."


    Daiki nodded and ruffled Kisuke''s hair. "This rascal finally started doing physical exercises instead of screaming about Genjutsu all day. Can you believe that?"


    Kirikou''s smile grew as she knelt at Kisuke''s level, brushing some dirt off his cheek. "That''s great to hear. I''m proud of you, Kisuke."


    Surprised and embarrassed, Kisuke looked away. "Y-yeah."


    Just then, Daiki held up a bag. "I picked up some meat on the way here. Thought it''d be a nice treat after a hard day''s training."


    Kirikou looked surprised but pleased. "You didn''t have to do that."


    Daiki waved off her concern. "I don''t mind. Besides, Kisuke worked hard today. Consider it a reward."


    Kirikou shook her head, still smiling. "You should save your money. Don''t you plan on getting married someday?"


    Daiki coughed, a bit embarrassed. "Well, I, uh..."


    Kirikou laughed lightly. "Just something to think about. But thank you for the meat. Let''s go inside and enjoy a nice lunch."


    After closing the shop, Kirikou led them inside. As they sat around the table, the aroma of freshly cooked meat filled the room, mixing with the smell of grilled vegetables and rice. Kirikou asked about the training, and Kisuke shared everything that had happened, from morning exercises to kunai and shuriken practice with Daiki. Kirikou listened with a smile, nodding and encouraging him as he spoke. Daiki chimed in now and then, praising Kisuke''s efforts.


    ''Is this what a real family feels like?'' Kisuke thought as he watched them. ''It''s not bad.''


    After lunch, Kisuke excused himself and went to his room. Lying on his bed, he reflected on what Daiki had said about the Kurama clan''s members having weak physiques, which is why they focused on Genjutsu rather than physical training. They usually played support roles in teams.


    He understood why his clan emphasized Genjutsu and ninjutsu, as Taijutsu training yielded little improvement for them. But Kisuke knew that in the later stages of the series, Genjutsu was rarely decisive. ''What if Genjutsu doesn''t work on the enemy, or I''m surrounded, or alone without teammates to back me up? I''d be in serious trouble then.''


    He decided he needed to train his body and Taijutsu hard. Even if the results weren''t as satisfactory as he hoped, he could use secret techniques to increase his strength. He wanted to be strong enough to stand on his own without always needing his teammates.


    Kisuke got up and walked over to his desk. He opened a drawer and pulled out a sealed scroll, then returned to his bed and opened it. The scroll contained a special meditation technique of the Kurama clan, given to him by Daiki when he started training the original Kisuke. Practicing it would help him gain better control over his spiritual energy and increase it over time, making him better at Genjutsu when he eventually started practicing it.


    Unfurling the scroll, Kisuke carefully read the instructions. The technique was designed to help practitioners refine their control over spiritual energy and gradually increase its capacity. It involved a series of meditation exercises and visualizations that focused on harmonizing the mind and body.


    The first step was to find a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down. Kisuke chose to sit cross-legged on his bed, keeping his back straight and his hands resting on his knees. He closed his eyes and began the breathing exercises, inhaling deeply through his nose and exhaling slowly through his mouth.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    The scroll instructed him to visualize a calm, peaceful place¡ªsomewhere he felt completely at ease. Kisuke imagined a tranquil forest with a gentle breeze rustling the leaves and the sound of a flowing stream nearby. As he focused on this image, he felt his mind and body relax.


    Next, he was to visualize his spiritual energy as a glowing, pulsing light within his mind. According to the instructions, he needed to guide this light through his chakra network, ensuring it flowed smoothly and evenly. Kisuke concentrated, imagining the light starting from his mind and spreading outwards, reaching every part of his body.


    Kisuke continued the exercise, guiding the light with each breath, feeling it grow stronger and more stable. He repeated the process several times, losing track of time as he became more absorbed in the practice.


    After what felt like an hour, Kisuke slowly opened his eyes and immediately noticed a difference¡ªhis mind was clearer, and he felt a sense of calm and focus that he hadn''t experienced before.


    ''Is it really this effective?!''


    He had only a basic understanding of spiritual energy, but he knew that increasing it should also boost his chakra capacity. And was tied to Yin Release techniques.


    ''If the Kurama clan could increase spiritual energy with just a simple, common technique, how powerful must they have been at their peak?''


    Kisuke furrowed his brow, trying to recall if he had ever heard of the Kurama clan in the series, but nothing came to mind. Then again, it had been a while since he watched the series, so maybe he had just forgotten. Still, it wasn''t surprising. The series mostly focused on the main characters and their journeys. The Kurama clan might not have been involved, or perhaps they faded into history like the Senju.


    ''It''s unlikely they were massacred like the Uchiha, but just to be safe, I''m going to have to double my training just in case...''


    Feeling energized from his meditation session, Kisuke decided to push his training further. He remembered the next exercise Daiki had mentioned, tree climbing. Since there wasn''t a tree in his room, he decided to use the wall instead.


    First, he spread his bed sheets on the floor near the wall to cushion any falls. Then, he stood in front of the wall and took a deep breath to focus his chakra. The goal was to channel the chakra to his feet, allowing him to stick to surfaces and climb vertically.


    ''Okay, focus,'' he thought, recalling Daiki''s advice on chakra control. ''Just like the leaf exercise, but through my feet.''


    Kisuke formed a needle seal and concentrated, letting chakra flow to his feet. He lifted one foot and placed it on the wall, then the other. For a moment, he felt a rush of excitement as he seemed to stick, but as soon as he tried to take a step, his chakra control slipped, and he slid down onto the bed sheets.


    ''Not bad for a first try,'' he thought, not discouraged. He adjusted his stance and tried again, this time focusing harder on maintaining a steady flow of chakra to his feet. He managed a few steps up the wall before losing control and sliding back down. Each attempt brought different results, but Kisuke could feel himself getting better, even if only slightly.


    The process was frustrating. He tried using more chakra, then less and even changed his foot placement, but each time he would climb a few steps before losing balance and sliding back down.


    Kisuke wiped the sweat from his brow and took a moment to catch his breath. ''This is tougher than I thought.''


    But he knew mastering this skill was essential to his progress in chakra control, so he continued training without complaints.


    Over the next month, Kisuke''s routine was packed with rigorous training. Each morning started with physical exercises to build strength and endurance, followed by chakra control exercises. After helping Kirikou in the shop, he would meditate, refining his control over spiritual energy. At night, he would read records of the Kurama clan, gaining knowledge that wasn''t shown in the series.


    He also began memorizing hand signs and practicing them as quickly as possible. He knew the importance of speed in making hand signs, as it directly affected the casting time of Jutsu. Using Itachi as his benchmark, Kisuke aimed to perform six hand signs per second, knowing that Itachi could achieve at least that speed.


    Though tempted to test out cool Ninjutsu, Kisuke held back his curiosity, focusing instead on perfecting his chakra control to avoid the same fate as the original Kisuke, who died from exhausting his chakra and spiritual energy due to poor control.


    After about ten days, he finally managed to climb the wall. Once he mastered that, he moved on to tree climbing, which was only slightly more challenging. Within a day, he could climb a tree with ease. However, he felt a bit frustrated, remembering that Naruto and Sasuke took just a day to climb a tree, and Sakura succeeded on her first try. Did this mean he had less talent?


    He didn''t dwell on that thought and moved on to the water walking exercise. It took him a week to master, but only in calm water without any current. He still needed to practice in more challenging conditions.


    Having completed these exercises and achieved fine control over his chakra, Kisuke finally felt ready to start learning some Ninjutsu. With a confident smile, he thought, ''It''s time to see just how amazing chakra really is.''

 Chapter 4

    Kisuke lay on his back on the grass of the forty-third training ground, panting heavily. Sweat soaked his clothes as he caught his breath. Beside him, the scroll titled "Body Flicker Technique" fluttered slightly in the breeze.


    He had been working on this technique for the past three days, but progress was frustratingly slow. The Body Flicker Technique was supposed to let a ninja move instantly from one place to another, but it was proving much harder to master than he expected.


    Kisuke sat up and glanced at the scroll. The instructions seemed simple enough, but there was a warning about how much chakra it could use. The technique required focusing chakra with the tiger hand seal, then releasing it through specific chakra points in the calves to accelerate, almost like a human rocket. The scroll even mentioned that with practice, and enough chakra, you wouldn''t need the hand seal at all.


    But every time Kisuke tried it, he stumbled, making little progress. He had tried focusing his chakra differently, adjusting his stance, and varying his speed, but nothing seemed to work.


    ''If only Daiki were here,'' Kisuke thought. ''It would be easier to learn this with his help.''


    Unfortunately, Daiki was assigned to a border patrol mission and wouldn''t be back for several months. Kisuke''s mother, Kirikou, was sad when he left, but she understood his duties.


    Determined, Kisuke stood up for another attempt. He formed the tiger hand seal and focused his chakra into his calves. He took a deep breath, visualizing the burst of speed that would send him across the training ground. Then, he released his chakra.


    This time, he felt a stronger push, but it was still uncontrolled. He stumbled forward, covering a bit more distance than before but landed awkwardly on the grass.


    Despite the setbacks, Kisuke didn''t get discouraged. In fact, he felt more enthusiastic each time he practiced, a grin never leaving his face.


    ''I don''t know if I''m not talented enough or if these ninjas just expect everyone to learn from these vague scrolls.''


    His main problem was that he couldn''t control his body properly during the technique, and his vision wasn''t used to the high speed, which made him dizzy.


    Sighing, Kisuke thought, ''The scroll isn''t helping much. I need to change my approach and break the technique down.''


    He decided to divide the technique into four stages. The first stage was the easiest: getting used to the chakra flow in his calves and moving the chakra toward the tenketsu points as fast as possible. He spent a few days honing his chakra control using the needle sign to concentrate.


    Once he got used to the feeling, he moved to the second stage, where he performed the Body Flicker with only a small amount of chakra. This way, his eyes could adjust to the tunnel vision he experienced during the technique.


    The third stage involved increasing the distance he could travel. This part was both easy and hard. It was easy because he just needed to use more chakra to go farther, but hard because his vision and body had to adapt to the longer distance.


    It took him a few weeks to finish this stage, eventually covering twenty-five meters in one flicker. This wasn''t his limit, though. Technically, the Body Flicker Technique allows you to travel as far as your chakra output allows. But there''s a limit to how much chakra you can release at once through the tenketsu points. For now, twenty-five meters was Kisuke''s limit due to his weak body, but it would increase as he got older and better at the technique.


    Finally, the fourth stage was simple: before performing the Body Flicker, he would release a puff of smoke to confuse the enemy, making it harder for them to track his movement.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Standing in the training ground, Kisuke formed the hand seal. A puff of smoke erupted, covering his body, and he reappeared ten meters away.


    This time, his vision remained clear, and his body felt more in control. He repeated the technique several times, landing smoothly on his feet without stumbling.


    Kisuke couldn''t help but laugh out loud. He had finally done it.


    "Yes!" he shouted, his excitement echoing through the training ground.


    The Body Flicker might be considered a low-level technique, but Kisuke was still thrilled. This was the first jutsu he had ever mastered in this world, and hopefully, there would be many more to come.


    Lying back down on the grass, Kisuke whispered to himself, "I did it," closing his eyes and enjoying the moment.


    After a while, he opened his eyes and looked up at the sun, high in the sky. ''It''s around lunchtime. I should head back, or Kirikou will get angry.''


    Getting up, he brushed the dirt off his clothes before heading home.


    Kisuke still felt awkward calling Kirikou "Mom" since she was only a few years older than him, but after nearly two months of getting along, he accepted her as a close relative. She had shown him so much care and love, and their relationship was quite harmonious, even though a small part of him still felt guilty about deceiving her by pretending to be her son. But there was nothing he could do about it. If asked, he wouldn''t regret possessing Kisuke''s body, because it gave him a second chance at life, and he was determined to live it to the fullest.


    Kisuke entered his mother''s store and saw Kirikou standing outside, talking to another woman with long, dark hair tied back in a simple ponytail. The woman was wearing a modest kimono.


    When Kirikou noticed him, she smiled warmly. "Kisuke! You''re finally back."


    "Mom," he greeted her, giving her a hug as usual before turning to the other woman. "Aunt Kanao, it''s been a while."


    Kanao, a civilian from the Senju clan and Kirikou''s closest friend, smiled at him. "It has been a while! But I see you''ve grown into a handsome young man while I was away."


    Kisuke remembered that Kanao was married to a traveling merchant and spent most of her time traveling around the Land of Fire. She was likely here to catch up with Kirikou and deliver goods since she often supplied flowers and herbs to Kirikou at a discount because of their friendship.


    "Hehe, I told you my son would grow up to be the most handsome," Kirikou said proudly, puffing out her chest. But then she sighed. "Unfortunately, he only thinks about training and has no interest in girls. I just don''t know how many hearts he''ll break with his indifference."


    Kisuke''s eyes twitched. He was still getting used to how openly people in this world talked about relationships, even with children.


    "Sigh, we''re in the same boat," Kanao sighed, looking defeated. "My daughter is the same..." Thinking about her daughter, Kanao sighed again.


    "Well, I''m going to wash up," Kisuke said, deciding to escape the conversation.


    But as he started walking, Kanao stopped him. Confused, he turned to see what she wanted.


    "Here, take this," she said, handing him a small piece of paper.


    "Huh?" Kisuke looked at the paper, noticing it was blank.


    Kanao smiled. "That''s a chakra induction paper. It''ll show your chakra affinity."


    "What?!" Kisuke looked at the paper in surprise, then back at Kanao. He knew how valuable this paper was and hadn''t asked Kirikou for one because of the cost. He never expected Kanao to give him one.


    Kirikou, realizing the paper''s value, tried to pay Kanao for it. "Kanao, this is too much. Let me pay you."


    Kanao shook her head. "No, Kirikou. It''s a gift for Kisuke. I missed his birthday and wanted to give him something special."


    Knowing her friend wouldn''t accept money, Kirikou simply thanked her. "Thank you, Kanao." She then made Kisuke bow his head in gratitude.


    "Thank you, Aunt Kanao," Kisuke said sincerely, bowing.


    Kanao urged him to try the paper. "Go ahead, Kisuke. See what your affinity is."


    Seeing no reason to hide it, Kisuke focused and channeled his chakra into the paper.


    The paper immediately reacted, splitting in half and getting wet at the same time.


    "Wow," Kanao said, her eyes wide. "You have two affinities: wind and water. That''s quite rare."


    Despite being a civilian, Kanao knew some ninja things because of her Senju background. She knew how uncommon it was to have two affinities at once. Her own daughter had only a lightning affinity.


    Kisuke looked at the paper in amazement. "Wind and water..."


    Though slightly disappointed not to have lightning as his main affinity, he didn''t let it bother him too much.


    Besides, it wasn''t like he couldn''t learn jutsu from other elements¡ªjust that it would be harder.


    Kirikou beamed with pride. "My son is truly special." She hugged him tightly. "I''m so proud of you, Kisuke. You''re going to do great things."


    Snapping out of his thoughts, Kisuke looked at Kirikou, still not fully used to her affection. "I''ll try my best."


    With that, Kisuke excused himself to wash up, feeling more motivated than ever. Knowing his affinities helped him plan which jutsu to master first.

 Chapter 5

    After lunch with Kirikou and helping her with the goods Kanao brought, Kisuke sneaked back to the empty forty-third training ground.


    Standing there, he thought, "Now that I''ve mastered the Body Flicker Technique, it''s time to experiment and create the Jutsu I''ve been thinking about."


    The reason he focused so hard on training the Body Flicker Technique first was because it was simpler than the Three Body Technique and quicker to master. Also, he was curious if he could modify it to resemble a technique he remembered from another world.


    He recalled, "In Bleach, the Shunpo technique lets users move at high speeds, almost like teleporting, and it''s useful in close combat. If I can tweak the Body Flicker Technique to be more like that, it would be incredibly useful. Even though it wouldn''t compare to the Flying Thunder God teleportation, it would still allow me to move faster than the regular Body Flicker with better maneuverability. If I could reach the speed of someone like five-gate Lee, I''d be close to Chunin level, maybe even Jonin."


    Kisuke knew he might be rushing things, trying to create his own Jutsu after being in this world for just over a month, but the temptation to explore ninjutsu and chakra was too strong. He was eager to see what he could achieve using his knowledge.


    He wasn''t a genius, and he knew that if the real geniuses of this world had his knowledge, they would create even more impressive Jutsu. They only lacked vision. So, he decided to push his advantage and create as many Jutsu as he could using his otherworldly knowledge.


    Kisuke sat down and began to mentally break down the mechanics of Shunpo. It relied on quick, consecutive steps rather than a single burst of speed like the Body Flicker. The goal was to make each step faster and more controlled, allowing for better maneuverability and less chakra usage over time.


    "This will be a long project, and I won''t achieve it overnight, so it''s better to split the technique into several parts and master each level before revealing the final Jutsu," he thought. "The first part should be learning to channel my chakra in short, controlled pulses instead of one big burst. Once I get that down, I can move to the next step."


    He stood up, ready to test his theory. Forming the tiger hand seal, he tried to pulse his chakra in rapid, small bursts to his calves, visualizing moving forward step by step.


    With a deep breath, he released his chakra in the first pulse. His body moved forward, but not as smoothly as he hoped due the low chakra pulse output. He tried again, this time with two quick pulses. The chakra output was greater this time, but he still stumbled.


    Kisuke kept refining his approach, focusing on shorter and more controlled bursts of chakra. He began to feel the rhythm, his body adjusting to the rapid pulses of energy. It wasn''t too hard; he was essentially just performing two Body Flicker Techniques in quick succession, but it was extremely chakra-consuming.


    The hardest part was adjusting his vision to the second Body Flicker, as it happened just as he arrived at his destination, making him dizzy.


    Thanks to his chakra pool, he could train longer without needing too many breaks. Daiki had told him that his chakra volume was comparable to a regular Genin, which made Kisuke wonder if he was talented, but Daiki dashed his hopes by saying it was common in their clan.


    After many more tries, Kisuke got used to the feeling, and his vision stopped spinning.


    "Now that my eyes can follow my movement, I guess it''s time to move to the next level," he thought. "This time, instead of waiting until I arrive at the location, I''ll release the second Body Flicker mid-way through the first."


    Without wasting time, he put it to the test. As he released the first pulse of chakra, he focused on initiating the second burst before his body had fully arrived at the first destination.


    The first attempt was a mess; as he executed the second flicker, he realized he was moving too fast to control. The world blurred around him, and before he could react, he collided headfirst with a tree.


    Kisuke groaned in pain, rubbing his forehead where a bump was already forming. "Okay, maybe I should stay away from the trees," he muttered.


    A burst of laughter interrupted his thoughts. Looking up, Kisuke saw a girl resting on a tree branch. She had tanned skin and purple hair, with golden eyes looking at him mischievously as she clutched her stomach, laughing.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Yoruichi?!" Kisuke called out, recognizing her as a friend and Kanao''s only daughter.


    Wiping her tears, Yoruichi leaped from the tree and gracefully landed on the ground. "Long time no see, Kisuke." She grinned. "I didn''t expect you to turn into a clown in my absence. Seriously, what were you just doing?" She laughed again.


    Kisuke''s eyes twitched. Being mocked by a kid wasn''t exactly pleasant, especially knowing the girl in front of him was more talented.


    "It''s none of your business. You''ll see how awesome the Jutsu I''m working on is once I finish it," he said, getting up and standing next to her.


    Yoruichi''s laughter subsided, and she gave him a curious look. "Oh? Now I''m interested. What''s this Jutsu you''re working on? Because..." she suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind him, startling him. "To me, it just looked like the Body Flicker Technique."


    Seeing him stunned, she continued, "What''s the matter? Cat got your tongue? Or did you forget that I mastered this Jutsu long ago?"


    She was right. Yoruichi was always extremely talented and had mastered the Body Flicker Technique in just one week, whereas it took him over three weeks to barely master it without occasionally failing to reach his desired destination. Despite her talent, she was immensely annoying to the original Kisuke, always bothering him and playing pranks. Because she was faster and stronger, he had no hope of catching her, which was one reason he wanted to learn Genjutsu. He figured he could trap her in an illusion and get back at her. Unfortunately, his hasty decision to learn without supervision cost him his life.


    Kisuke wondered what Yoruichi''s reaction would be if she found out she was one of the reasons the original Kisuke died.


    "Of course, I didn''t forget. I''m just making it better," Kisuke said after regaining his composure.


    "Wow, are you serious?" Yoruichi looked at him as if seeing him for the first time. "The bed-wetter Kisuke wants to create his own Jutsu?" She said without a hint of shame.


    "That... don''t call me that! That was two years ago!" Kisuke couldn''t help but retort, embarrassed. Even though she wasn''t wrong, it was the original Kisuke who used to wet his bed, not him.


    "Hehe, you know the rules. If you want me to stop calling you that, you know what you have to do," she said with a smile.


    Looking at her mischievous expression, Kisuke knew what she meant. She and the original Kisuke had made a deal that if he could catch her in a game of tag, she would never call him that disgraceful title again.


    "Hmm, I''m doing something important right now. Don''t bother me," Kisuke said, shaking his head and trying to get away to continue his experiment.


    After taking a few steps, he felt something hit his butt, launching him against a tree and hitting his head, causing a second bump to appear.


    "What the hell do you think you''re doing?" Kisuke rubbed his head before glaring at his attacker.


    "Humph, do you seriously think that after months of traveling around the Land of Fire and finally coming back to Konoha to play, I would take ''no'' for an answer?" Yoruichi raised her small fist. "I''ll kick your ass and annoy you until you play with me."


    Looking at her mocking smile, Kisuke''s eyes twitched. She was serious. She would really beat him up or interrupt his experiment unless he played with her. What made him heartbroken was the fact that despite being the same age, she had immense physical strength, as expected from a Senju. Before, Kisuke had no chance of winning against her or catching her because she was simply faster and stronger than him, but now it was different. He could use the Body Flicker Technique too.


    "Fine, I''ll entertain you for a while. Just don''t cry later when I catch you," he said, seeing no hope of continuing his experiment as long as she was there. He decided to teach her a lesson about respect.


    "Hehe, yeah, that''s the Kisuke I know," Yoruichi laughed, waiting for his move.


    Without wasting time, Kisuke formed a seal and flickered to her side, extending his hand to catch her, but she was already gone.


    Looking to his left, he saw her leaning against a tree. "She''s faster than me?!"


    "What''s the matter?" Yoruichi smirked. "Did you think that just by mastering the Body Flicker Technique, you would suddenly be as fast as me?"


    Kisuke flickered to her side again, but once more, Yoruichi was gone. Just as he looked around to find her, he heard a slight sound. Glancing in the direction, he saw a small thumb-sized ball heading toward him. Tilting his head just in time, the ball hit the tree and exploded, painting the bark yellow.


    "Are you serious? Paintballs?" Kisuke exclaimed, wiping a small streak of yellow paint from his cheek.


    Yoruichi laughed from her new perch on another tree. "You like my new toy? I bought a bunch of them in the capital." She patted her thigh pouch. "What''s the matter? Afraid of a little make up?"


    Ignoring her taunt, Kisuke refocused, forming the tiger hand seal. ''She''s actually better at Body Flicker than me,'' he thought. ''But that''s okay. She''s the perfect target to test shunpo on.''


    He released his chakra, flickering toward Yoruichi. He saw her flicker away, just as he expected, and decided to execute the second flicker mid-step. But as he attempted the move, something went wrong. His control wavered, and instead of smoothly reappearing behind her, his vision blurred, and he lost his balance.


    Before he could correct himself, he crashed headfirst into a nearby tree. The impact left him dazed, his forehead throbbing painfully.


    Yoruichi''s laughter echoed through the training ground as she hopped down from the tree, clearly amused. "Nice one, Kisuke! Didn''t know you were into tree-hugging."


    Kisuke groaned, rubbing the new bump on his forehead. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," he muttered, trying to shake off the dizziness.


    Yoruichi leaned in, grinning from ear to ear. "I think you''re better off sticking to the basics for now instead of creating something. You''re clearly bad at it."


    Kisuke couldn''t help but feel a little embarrassed, but he wasn''t about to give up. "Just you wait," he said, "I''ll get it right, and then you''ll see."


    "Sure, sure," Yoruichi said, still grinning. "But maybe try not to knock yourself out next time, okay"


    With that, she threw paintballs at him.


    "Dammit!"